Attack of the Zombies (7 page)

We were told that when the stealth team
arrived on the Overworld they were confronted by an army of Zombies
and had to return in fear of being caught, just like the last
platoon that was sent through. Hundred's of Zombies, can you
imagine? Yuk, even twenty at a time is enough to make my skin
crawl, but hundreds, ew!

Anyway, the officers have been in discussions
ever since. The Headmaster still wants the Portal sealed, he thinks
the risk of Zombies invading Minecraftia is too great, but Major
Larrson convinced the group that even if the Zombies did invade
they would not be able to survive outside of the Survival Room, so
the Headmaster was eventually outvoted by everyone else.

You see, it's the only way back from the
Overworld and without the Portal, the School of Minecraft would not
even exist. Strange, I would have though that the Headmaster would
have done anything to keep the school open, whatever the costs, go
figure.

So, ever since we have been building defenses
and preparing to defend the Portal. Bowmen were placed just inside
the walls to kill any Zombies that tried to come through the Portal
and scout our defenses. So far it's been quiet with only one small
invasion, a dozen Zombies came through, took a quick look around
and were preparing to leave when they spotted the Bowmen and
attacked them. Lucky for us that Zombies are so blood thirsty, as
it seems their craving for brains was more powerful than their
orders to scout our camp and we were able to kill them all before
they managed to return to the Overworld.

Right, that brings you almost up to date,
except for the most important news. The Zombie Invasion is
tonight!

Yep, the Captain sent the stealth team back
through the Portal and the Zombies are all set to go, they were
just waiting for dark.
*gulp*

Sooooo, here I am, writing furiously before
we have to man the defenses. Oh no, that's the siren, time to go.
Wish me luck.

*****

This is so scary. We are in our squads, with
Bows drawn at the ready, hunkered down behind the Portal defense
wall. We have been ordered to be really quiet, anyone who makes
even the smallest sound will be dealt with by Corporal Henckman.
*gulp*

That is one scary dude, even Numbers keeps
his jokes to himself when the Corporal gives an order.

Anyway, here's the plan. We wait for as many
of the Zombies to stream through the Portal as possible then we all
mount the wall and shoot them with our Bows and arrows. The Zombies
will be trapped the Corporal says it will be like shooting fish in
a barrel, what ever that means!

Oh man, here they come.

"Wait for it lads, hold, hold," whispers
Corporal Henckman, trying to boost our moral by giving a little
wink to Numbers, and patting my head. Why me, and what's with the
head patting?

"Ok, almost time, everyone notch your first
arrow and be prepared to fire on my signal."

*gulp*
It suddenly
hits me, this is no game. I just hope the Corporal is right and
this goes off as planed.

"Ok men, move, move move," screams the
Corporal as a dozens of fireworks shoot into the air and the Portal
is lit up like a Christmas tree.

"and girls!" mutters Pippa, jumping up onto
the wall with her Bow at the ready.

"Numbers, what are you waiting for, move it
boy," screams the Corporal grabbing Numbers and dragging him onto
the wall.

The sight that greets me nearly stops my
heart. Hundreds of Zombies are pouring through the Portal and
shambling towards our defenses.

"Find your targets," instructs the Corporal,
"steady, now fire, fire fire."

We all fire together, and I mean everyone.
Dozens of arrows fly from the wall as all the assembled troops let
rip and fire on the Zombie hoard.

"Again, fire at will," screams the Corporal,
giving instructions over the noise of battle.

Time and time again we all fire on the
Zombies but even as they die more shamble forward to take their
place. "There's too many of them," screams Darth from the platoon
on my left.

"Hey Jonesy, get your cowardly platoon under
control," shouts Corporal Henckman, notching an arrow and sending
yet another Zombie to its death.

"You look after your platoon and I'll take
care of mine," responds Jonesy, smacking Darth on the back of the
head.

He he - watching Darth get smacked was
awesome, almost worth going to battle for!

Reaching the wall the Zombies start to spread
out, leaving a clear path from the Portal to the wall directly
below us.

"What are they up to Corporal?" I ask.

"Don't know, don't care, just shoot them
soldier."

Soldier, he just called me a soldier, way
cool!

As more and more Zombies fall to the barrage
of death we send down on them a cry from one of the other squads
grabs our attention.

Appearing through the portal, a dozen
creepers run on four small legs along the pathway made by the
Zombies. As they near the wall they start to fizz and spark.

"Shoot the creepers, everyone, do not let
them get to the wall," screams the Corporal.

We all turn our Bows on the creepers, raining
deadly arrows at the fizzing time bombs.

"Shoot them all," screams the Corporal as
most of our arrows hit one single creeper, exploding it in a shower
of earth. As the dust clears we realize our mistake, and the rest
of the creepers reach the wall and detonate.

The explosion is huge. Bits of cobblestone
fly everywhere and we are all knocked off our feet by the blast but
strangely we are still ok. Looking over the edge of the wall, a
huge hole greets me.

"Jeb, what do you see?" asks the
Corporal.

"Huge hole sir, about 10 blocks high, can't
see how deep it goes though," I reply, pulling myself back onto the
wall.

"Right, we got lucky, if this wall was any
lower we would have bought the farm."

What farm? Am I missing something here?

Suddenly Numbers jumps on top of me, knocking
me to the ground.

"What the? Get off me you idiot, it's no time
for messing ..." I scream at him as dozens of arrows fly through
the air where my head had been just seconds before.

"Skeletons!" I stammer, looking out to the
Portal as Numbers picks me up.

"Is anyone hurt?" demands the Corporal.

"Sir, I've been hit but I'm ok, but Pebbles
never made it," replies Hoody, pointing at a pile of floating
possessions where Pebbles had been standing.

"Ah Pebbles, he was quiet but a good
guy."

"Ok look sharp men, this ain't over yet.
Numbers and Pippa, grab some blocks and place them 1 block high
along the front edge of the wall. Everyone else keep shooting."

I've decided that war sucks. Poor Pebbles is
dead and we don't even have a chance to stop!

"Incoming," screams the Corporal and we all
dive behind the low wall that Numbers and Pippa are just
finishing.

As the arrows bounce harmlessly off the
blocks I glance to our left and am horrified to see 5 or 6 avatars
disappear from the next squad, including Corporal Jones. Grabbing
Corporal Henckman's arm I point and shout over the noise.

"They are getting slaughtered sir, why don't
they build a defensive wall?"

Looking over he immediately takes action.
"Everyone listen up. The moment there is a break in the incoming
arrows, stand up and return fire. Aim for the Skeletons at the
Portal. Jeb and Pippa, you're with me, on your feet soldiers."

"Yes sir, uh, where are we going sir?"

"On a little rescue mission," he replies,
pointing over to the next squad just as another avatar
disappears.

"Come on, come on already, or there will be
no one left to rescue, you guys ready?"

"Yes sir," I reply, gulping down my fear.

"Good, when we get to the squad I want you
both to build a wall, just like ours, ok?

"Yes sir," we both reply.

"Now!" Jumping to our feet we dash along the
wall as the rest of the squad returns fire. All along the wall,
soldiers are shooting the Skeletons, but they also falling victim
to their arrows, blinking out and disappearing.

As we reach the next squad Corporal Henckman
grabs hold of Darth and shouts into his face, "you, soldier, help
my men build a single block wall across the front of these
defenses."

"Build it yourself," shouts Darth, pushing
the Corporal off and notching another arrow.

Grabbing Darth by the back of his head, the
Corporal throws him to the floor. Darth is livid, trying to stand
back up and fight when the Corporal throws himself next to him,
dragging him back to the ground. Darth pulls back his arm, ready to
punch when a volley of arrows flies through the air where they had
both just been standing.

"Lower your arm soldier," growls the
Corporal.

Bewildered, Darth turns his attention back to
the Corporal and gulps. "Uh sir, I'm sorry sir, I did not realize I
was addressing an officer."

Ducking as another volley of arrows hits the
hastily erected defense, the Corporal leans past Darth and shouts
to me. "Jeb, what's the status?"

"Seven dead including Corporal Jones, three
wounded sir."

"Right, good work soldier. And you," he
growls, leaning into Darth's face, "I will deal with you
later."

Gulping and trying to make himself as small
as possible, Darth nods and replies, "yes sir, sorry sir."

"Right, soldiers, I'm taking command of this
squad. I'm Corporal Henckman, but you can just call me SIR."

Smiling to myself I realize the speech is not
quite so scary this time.

"When the arrows stop we are all heading over
to my squad, do you understand?"

"Sir, yes sir," we all reply.

"Good, on my mark, go, go, go."

We all jump to our feet and dash the 30
blocks back to the squadron, who cheer wildly as we rejoin
them.

"Numbers, what's happening here?"

"Just shooting a few Skeletons sir."

"Numbers!"

"Sorry Sir. We have driven the Skeletons back
but they look like they are getting reinforcements and regrouping
by the Portal sir."

"Good work Numbers."